The present invention relates to drinking bottles, and more particularly to closures for drinking bottles.
Plastic drinking bottles, such as water and soda bottles, have gained in popularity presumably in part because they provide a convenient way to transport beverages. Drinking bottles are typically reclosable and are formed from a lightweight plastic material. The bottles are therefore extremely portable, reclosable and provide access to beverages where such access may not otherwise be available.
Most drinking bottles have a removable threaded cap, which allows the user to easily twist the cap off of the bottle, take a drink, and twist the cap back on the bottle to close it. In such a configuration, threading is typically included on the inside of the cap and is arranged to correspond to threading on the outside of the neck of the bottle. Although the threaded connection between the cap and the bottle sufficiently seals the bottle to prevent fluid leakage, the neck of the bottle forms a drinking area and the presence of threads on the drinking area can create problems. More specifically, the positioning of the threads on the drinking area of the bottle results in a person's lips contacting the threaded surface when drinking. The threads can be uncomfortable and may create gaps between the lips and the bottle neck that cause the contents of the bottle to dribble when drinking.